Insulated cabinet



Oct. 8, 1940. K W, HALL 2,217,222

INSULATED CABINET Filed Sept. 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet l BY WMM ATTORNEY5 Oct. 8, 1940. K. w. HALL INSULATED CABINET Filed Sept. 18, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INSULATED CABINET New Jersey Application September 18, 1936, Serial No. 101,392

Claims.

The invention relates to the construction of insulated cabinets and parts therefor.y It provides a novel substantially all-metal construction for sections that can be assembled together in 5 any desired arrangement to form a cabinet of the desired height.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a cabinet that is eilciently insulated and at the same time simple and inexpensive to construct. More specific objects and advantages are apparent from the description in which reference is had to the accompanying drawings illustrating preferred embodiments of the invention.

Fig. 1 is an elevation of the cabinet;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. l is a fragmentary Vertical section taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;`

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a modification of the construction illustrated in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary vertical section showing a further modification of the construction illustrated in Fig. 3.

These specific drawings and the specific description that follows are to disclose and illustrate the invention and not to impose limitations upon the claims.

A cabinet constructed in accordance with the invention may include an insulated wall consisting of an outer shell member and an inner shell member telescoping with one another to form an insulation compartment and a strip of insulating material interposed between the telescoping edges of the inner and outer members. The cabinet is preferably constructed in sections, and each section may comprise a hollow outer shell having upright side walls with inturned flanges. Inner shell members may then be provided having edges that overlap said flanges so that suitable insulation compartments are formed. The sections that make up the cabinet may conveniently be assembled by mere superposition o; the sections, a sealing gasket being preferablyinterposed between them.

A novel type of insulating strip may be provided, in accordance with the invention, to separate the edges of each of the inner shell members from the adjacent flanges of the corresponding outer shell member. 'Ihis strip is so constructed that it spaces the inner and outer shell (CIJ 220-9) members from one another both horizontally and vertically.

'Ihe device illustrated in the drawings is made up `of a number of rectangularouter shell members, each of which is first stamped out flat in 5 the proper shape and then formed by bending the metal along predetermined lines. The joints, where edges of metal come together, are all welded after the forming operation has taken place.

The cabinet consists of a base l0 having an in- 10 turned flange II around its top (see Fig. 5). Spotwelded upon the upperside of flange is a pan-shaped member I2 which itself has an inturned flange I3 around its upper edge. Suitable insulating material |4 is packed into the 15 pan-shaped member I2 and a strip I5 of fibre or other insulating material is employed to cover entirely the upper side of the flangev I3. A rectangular plate I6 is used to cover the insulating material held by the pan-shaped member I2, and go the base section of the cabinet is completed by a rubber gasket Il glued around the outer edges of the rectangular plate I6 and the fibre strip I5.

The three sections next above each have an 25 outer shell member I8. 'I'he outer shell member I8 consists of four upright walls having inturned flanges I9 along all of their lower edges and inturned flanges 20 along all of their upper edges.

In addition, each of the outer shell members I8 30 has a rectangular opening in its front side that is surrounded by an inturned flange 2| (see Figs.

2 and 3).

Between the bottom flanges I9 and the adjacent inturned flanges 2| and between the top 35 flanges 2|! and the adjacent flanges 2| are channel-shaped spaces that are similarly filled with insulation and sealed by telescoping horizontal channels 22. A fibre strip I5 is placed upon each of the front lower flanges I9 and upon each of 40 the upper inturned flanges 2|; a block of insulating material is slipped inside each of the .channels 22; a fibre strip |5 is placed upon each of the channels; and an assembly of insulation block, channel and surmounting bre strip is 45 pushed into place beneath each of the bottom inturned flanges 2| and beneath each of the front upper flanges 20 of the outer shells I8.

The sections are provided with lateral inner shell members 23, each in the form of a wide 50 shallow channel with a lower outturned flange 24 and an upper out-turned flange 25 (see Figs. 5 and 6), the two lateral inner shell Amembers 23 being put in place after the two horizontal channels 22 are in position. In the assembly ofthese 55 'at its front end secured to I5 is placed in a vertical position along the front edge of each inner shell member 23; a similar fibre strip is laid along the lateral lower anges I9 of the outer shell member I8; al block of insulating materialv is inserted between the outturned ilanges 24 and 25 of the lateral inner shell member 23; another insulatingstrlp is laid along the upper flange 25; and the whole assembly is pushed forward into place. The vertical bre strip I5 that was placed along the front edge of the lateral inner shell member 23 is clasped between that edge and the adjacent vertical inturned flange 2I (see Fig. 2). Pressed-up lugs 26 are provided on the lateral inner shell members 23 to hold the horizontal channels 22 in position (see Fig. 3).

The rear inner shell members 21 are similar to the lateral inner shell members 23, with the exception that they are provided with tongues 28 turned in the opposite direction from the upper and lower ilanges of the rear inner shell members. Fibre strips are provided below and above each of the rear inner shell members 21 and a block of insulation is enclosed between the upper and lower anges of each member. The rear inner shell member, together with the blo'ck of insulation and the two fibre strips that are associated therewith, is the last part to be slipped in place.

Four screws 2S are used to secure the tongues 28 of each of the rear inner shell members in place relatively to the adjacent lateral inner shell members 23. In the construction of each of these sections, the only fasteners that are necessary are the four screws 29. I

It will be noted that all of the liber strips have substantially the same cross section. The fiber strips that separate an inner shell member from an outer shell member are soshaped that they prevent the two members from moving either parallel to one another or toward one another. Each horizontal strip, for example, spaces two adjacent horizontal iianges apart vertically, and is also provided with a ledge on one side against which one flange abuts and a ledge on the other side against which the other flange abuts. Thus the inner and outer shell members are prevented from moving either in a horizontal or in a vertical direction into contact with one another.

Ihe top section consists of a pan-shaped member I2, a block of insulation, a fibre strip I5 and a rectangular plate I6 which are exactly the same as the corresponding parts in the base section of the cabinet. A rubber gasket I1 is glued along the upper edge of each of the sections, except this top section, and the bead on the outer edge of the rubber gasket assists in the aligning of the `sections. The uppermost of thethree main sections forms a storage compartment that is provided with an insulated door 30 of any suitable construction, and a perforated oor 3| secured by screws to the lateral inner shell members 23.

Each of the other two sections is provided with a drawer that has a body portion 32, the body portion of the upper drawer having a perforated bottom and the body portion of the lower drawer having an imperforate bottom. Welded to the bottom of each body portion is a channel 33 that slides upon an angle 34 having a tongue 35 at its rear end, by which it is secured to the rear inner shell member 21, and a similar tongue (not shown) the lower horizontal channel 22 of the section.

At the front of each drawer is an insulated compartment that ln the illustrated embodiments In order to mask the ends of the bolts 39, anA

ornamental metal panel 4I is used, covering the entire wooden panel 31. Handles 42 are secured to the outer side of this metal panel by means of two bolts that hold the metal panel against the wooden panel.

To improve the insulation of the drawer, bushings 43 of libre or other insulating material may be used to space the drawer body 32 from the panshaped member 35 (see Fig. 7).

The exterior of the cabinet maybe porcelain enameled and the appearance of the cabinet is enhanced by Virtue of the fact that there are practically no fasteners or joints visible.

Changes in the illustrated devices may be made and various embodiments of the substance of the invention may be constructed to meet various requirements,

I claim:

1. In an insulated cabinet, in combination, an outer shell member having inturned horizontal iianges, an inner shell member having edges that overlap said anges, forming with the outer shell member an insulation compartment, and a strip of insulating material interposed between said edges and said ilanges, having means for abutting against the edges of the inner shell member and means for abutting against the edges of said flanges, whereby the inner shell member is accurately positioned relatively to the outer shell member both horizontally and vertically.

2. A section for an insulated cabinet, comprising, in combination, a rectangular outer shell member having upright side walls with inturned horizontal flanges, four inner shell members having edges that overlap said anges, forming insulation compartments with the outer shell member, two opposite ones of which have means for abutting against another inner shell member to hold it in place, and the fourth of which when secured in position abuts against said two opposite inner shell members and thereby holds them in place, and a strip'of insulating material interposed between the iianges of the outer shell member and the edges of the inner shell members.

3. In an insulated cabinet, in combination, a plurality of superimposed sections, each comprising an outer shell member having inturned horizontal iian'ges and an inner shell member having edges that overlap said anges, forming with the outer shell member an insulation compartment, a strip of insulating material interposed between said edges and said anges, and a sealing gasket separating the anges of adjacent sections.

4. A section for an insulated cabinet, comprising, incombination, a rectangular outer shell member having upright side walls with inturned horizontal ila-nges, four inner shell members having outturned edges that telescope with said flanges, forming four insulation compartments with the outer shell member, and a strip of insulating material interposed between said edges and said flanges to space them vertically, having means for abutting against the edges of the inner shell members and means for abutting against the edges of said iianges, whereby the inner shell members are accurately spaced horizontally from the outer shell member.

5. In an insulated cabinet, in combination, an outer shell member having inturned iianges, an inner shell member having out-turned edges telescoping with said iianges to form an insulation compartment, and a strip of insulating material interposed between said edges and said iianges, having means for abutting against the edges of the inner shell member and means for abutting against the edges of said flanges, whereby the inner shell member is accurately spaced horizontally from the outer shell member.

KEITHW.HAI.|L. 

